Martha Scott Smith

Martha Scott Smith is currently State Director for AT&T Public Affairs in SC.  She is a product of the Richland County Public School system.  A graduate of the University of SC, she spent her first two years of college at SCSU and in 2003 was appointed by the governor to South Carolina State University’s board of trustees.  Martha is a former middle school teacher and was one of the original teachers who established the gifted and talented program for Richland School district 1.

The foundation of love of service developed early in her life by the many examples of giving she witnessed through her parents. Nurtured by a small, closely-knit family and her beloved community of Greenview.,her life grew to reflect a fabric of diversity of service to all mankind.  Though she is often “casted” as a “first”, she sees herself only as a person trying to make a difference for everyone.  Among her many accomplishments are:

  • First black female to serve as chair of the American Red Cross Board
  • First black female to serve as chair of the SC State Museum Board
  • First black female to chair the Midlands Technical College Foundation board
  • First minority to chair the statewide SC Voices for Children board

She currently serves as the secretary of the River Alliance, President of the Columbia Urban League guild, and member of the boards of Visitors for Claflin University and Allen University Foundation, Chair of the membership committee of the Summit Club.  She is a founding member of Women in Philanthropy.  She also serves on the USC’s president’s Minority Advisory Board and that of Congressman Joe Wilson and is chair elect of the newly formed Northeast Chamber of Commerce.

During her career she has done a number of things to help address a concern near and dear to her…EDUCATION.  She was asked almost 3 years by then Congressman James Clyburn to chair an effort to raise funds to create a College Summit organization in South Carolina.  Under her leadership, a bi-racial committee raised over $400,000 to assist low-income students with college access.  This organization is now well- established and considered one of the most effective national programs in the USA

Her past board affiliations include membership on the boards of the SC State Chamber, Columbia Chamber of Commerce, United Way of the Midlands, the Columbia Urban League (currently serving as president of the Guild), Sistercare, the Congreve Girl Scouts, and the  Columbia Community Relations Council.  She served as a loaned executive for the United Way for three years.

In 2000, she was inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame in recognition of her diverse and extensive community and civic work.

She has been recognized for her numerous times for all facets of her community and civic work: named “Woman of Distinction” by the Girl Scouts, named “One of Our Own” by the City of Columbia, and named “Board Member of the Year” by the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce”.  For her work with minority businesses, IMARA magazine named her and BellSouth, “Corporate Citizen of the Year”.  The YWCA awarded her the YWCA-TWIN award for her service to the community, especially women.

She currently chairs the Northeast Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, is the governor’s appointee to the board of SC State University and serves on the Allen University Foundation Board.  She was recently appointed by the City of Columbia to serve on the Midlands Convention Authority and was recently elected as vice-chair of the board.  She also serves on USC Presidential Minority Advisory Board.

In the past, she has organized walks for breast cancer and served as a “red dress ambassador” for the American Heart Association and Providence Hospital.  She has devoted much time, energy, and personal finances into helping foster children in various venues.

The importance of faith, family, and friends has lead her to pursue such projects as collecting coats for the homeless, organizing clothing closets for women seeking to break the cycle of welfare dependency, packing and delivering food baskets to the needy and encouraging her then young daughters to provide Christmas gifts to less fortunate children whom she taught in her capacity as a public school teacher prior to joining BellSouth. Turning her own personal family challenges related to kidney disease into something positive, she inconspicuously assists a number of dialysis and kidney transplant patients. On a regular basis she collects toiletries for distribution by Sistercare and is currently working on projects with foster children, strategic planning and board development.

She was recently unanimously elected by the Columbia City Council to serve on the Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports, and Tourism.

Martha is the president of the Columbia Urban League guild and most recently selected to chair a group of educators, business leaders, etc. in planning a December 2008, statewide summit on Drop-out Prevention and Workforce Readiness.

Smith also serves on the South Carolina Judicial Review Commission.

Previous affiliations include, past chairperson of the  boards of directors for Success by Six,  member board of directors for Carolina Carillon, SC Philharmonic, Junior Achievement, Palmetto Richland Children’s Hospital, SC Department of Education Character Education, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and the Mayor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.

She is a member of the Francis Burns United Methodist Church and serves on the PPRC Board of the church.

Martha is married to Murray Smith and has two daughters, Pheshe’ Thompson-Johnson, and Shannon Anissa Thompson. The Smith’s are the proud grandparents of granddaughter, Caitlin Mary Anissa Johnson.

Faith, family, friends, and service are the defining hallmarks of her life.